Global Trends in Influenza and Meningitis Research: A Comprehensive Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Public Health Research
• Bibliometric Analysis

Background:

• Influenza can compromise immunity, increasing risk for bacterial meningitis.
• Shared epidemiological patterns link influenza and meningitis.
• Understanding these connections is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of global research on influenza and meningitis.
• To explore trends, influential research, and collaborations.
• To identify emerging research areas and future directions.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search from 1980-2024 in Web of Science Core Collection.
• Bibliometric analysis and visualization using R package 'bibliometrix', VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.
• Analysis of 397 publications with 12,829 citations.

Main Results:

• USA, Japan, and China are leading research contributors.
• Key research areas include epidemiology, diagnostics, pediatrics, vaccination, and pathogen interactions.
• Emerging trends: disease burden, vaccine hesitancy, pediatric sequelae, and integrated management.

Conclusions:

• Bibliometric analysis highlights key trends and collaborations in influenza and meningitis research.
• Future research should focus on vaccine development, diagnostics, and integrated strategies.
• Inclusion of multiple databases recommended for future comprehensive reviews.